New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro announced the guilty plea of a Capital Region drywall installer who failed to provide legally required workers’ compensation insurance to his employees.

Dennis R. Hammonds, 41, owner and operator of Hammonds Drywall, LLC, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty in Schenectady City Court before Hon. Carl Falotico to Failure to secure the payment of compensation (misdemeanor), which includes a $5,000 fine and $60,691 in restitution to the New York State Insurance Fund.

New York State Workers’ Compensation Law requires all contractors to carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees.

An investigation by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Fraud Inspector General found that between February 2017 and November 2018, Hammonds worked as a drywall sub-contractor for two general contractors while failing to have required insurance. One of the projects was installing drywall and ceiling work at the Via Port Mall in Rotterdam between May and September 2017.

“Failing to provide workers’ compensation insurance to employees, as this individual did, puts all parties in jeopardy,” said Inspector General Tagliafierro. “The employees, the employer, and the client need this important coverage in case of an accident or injury on the job.”

Inspector General Tagliafierro thanked the Schenectady County District Attorney for prosecuting the case and the City of Schenectady Police Department for conducting the arrest.